Manual change-over regulator



Nov. 23, 1943. R WOLFE v 2,334,977

MANUAL CHANGE-OVER REGULATOR Filed Jail. 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1943 K. R. D. WOLFE MANUAL CHANGE-OVER REGULATOR Filed Jan. 16, 194].

6M y g Patented Nov. 23, 1943 2,334,97 '1 MANUAL CHANGE-OVER REGULATOR Kenneth R. D. Wolfe, Marshalltown, Iowa, assigner to Fisher Governor Company, Marshalltown, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application January 16,1941, Serial No. 374,711

((11. cal-73.5)

4 Claims.

In systems using compressed gas in cylinders for heating and lighting purposes and the like,

it is customary to provide two tanks or cylinders of gas in the installation, the second tank being a standby or reserve tankwhich can be conhigh pressure of the supply cylinder, inasmuch as the reducingvalve or regulator is customarily connected in the pipe line between the changeover device and the gas consuming devices. This has meant that all the parts of the valve, as well as the ordinary threaded connections thereto, were much more subject to leakage than would be the case if they operated at the reduced pressure on the outlet end of the pressure regulating device.

My invention consists change-over and pressure reducing device wherein I eliminate all threaded connections on the high pressure side of the device, and wherein all the other parts and connections are subject only to the reduced pressure. The construction eliminates the very substantial hazard involved in the leakage of these highly explosive gases, as well as eliminating. the economic waste represented by such leakage.

With the objects thusindicated; and with other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the'various parts of my device whereby the objects' contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the parts involved in an installation using my device.

4 Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the device embodying my invention.

Figure 3 is a further enlarged plan view partly in horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one ofythe of a combination cylinders i 4.

inlet connection members forming a part of my structure.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 5--5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line 8-6 of Figure 5.

In the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral N to indicated generally a housing. In Figure 1 the housing I0 is shown as connected by lengths of tubing l2 to the gas The housing ill consists of two principal parts which I have designated as the casing portion l6 and the bonnet portion l8. These two members are connected together by screws 20, and'clamped between them is a flexible diaphragm 22. A threaded stud 24 passes through the diaphragm, and a nut 26 on the stud clamps a disk 28 against the diaphragm. ,A coil spring 30 bears against the disk 28 and is supported by a member 32 which is threaded into the bonnet Hi. It will be seen that the member 32 can be rotated to vary the pressure exerted by the spring 30 against the disk 28 and thus against the diaphragm 22.

In the top of the casing it I form openings 34 adapted to receive inlet connections designated generally as 36. Each of the connection members 26 has a bore 38 which intersects inside the member with a bore 40. One end of the pigtail connection tube I2 is fixed in the bore 38 by sweating or by brazing. A hole 42 through the wall of the tubing 12 communicates with the bore 40, which extends into a nozzle portion 44 of the connection member, forming a valve seat.v

The connection member 36 is retained i the casing l6 by a clamp strap 46 which asses across the top of the connection member and is pressed against it by the screws 48 which are threaded into the casing l6. A gasket 5!] is interposed between a shoulder 52 on the connection member 36, and the seat 54 formed in the casing l6. V Inside the casing I6 valve levers 56 are supported on pivots 58. The ehds of the valve levers may be provided with removable tips 60 carrying any suitable type of material for effecting a tight fit with the valve seat portion 44. The valve levers 58 are coupled by toggle links 62 to the third link 64, the latter being pivotally connected also to the stud 24, and thus to the diaphragm.

Centrally located in the top of the casing is is a bore 66. At the top of the bore 66 is a diaphragm G8, and flexibly supported thereby is At the lower end of the post is a foot formed near one end a sleeve portion 86 which fits over the boss 80, and is retained thereon by pins 88 which pass through the sleeve 86 and extend into the groove 82 in the boss 80. The handle 84 is thus retained on the boss but may be swivelled around it.

A plug 90 in the outer end of the handle 84 has an eye 92 which receives one end of a coil spring 94. The other end of the spring encircles the top end of the post I2, and is retained thereon by a groove 96. The tension of the spring 94 on the post 12 causes the latter to tip about its flexible mounting in the diaphragm 68, to the inclined position indicated in Figure 5, where the lateral projection I6 bears against the left hand valve member 56. The pressure thus exerted against the valve member holds its tip 60 in tight engagement with the valve seat portion 44.

Assuming that a cylinder of gas is connected to each of the tubes I2, so that gas pressure exists therein, gas will flow'into the casing I6 through the valve seat 44 of the right hand inlet connection 35, when the parts are in the positions shown in Figure 5. As gas continue to flow into thejchamber I6, the pressure therein will increase. and the diaphragm 22 and its associated disk 28 and stud 24 will move downwardly against the force of the spring 30. Under the pressure exerted by the arm 16, the left hand valve member 56 is held in fixed position against the nozzle 44 of the connection member, and therefore the lower pivot 98 of the valve member may be considered as a fixed point for the time being. As the stud 24 moves downwardly, then, it will tend to straighten out the toggle links 62, and thus move the pivot I toward the right, Which will swing the right hand valve lever 56 about its pivot 58 and ultimately will close oif the flow of gas from the right hand inlet. When this condition has been reached, no further action'will take place until some of the gas within the casing IB' is consumed through the outlet passage I02, to whichthe distribution pipe I04 is connected.

When gas is thus used, the pressure in the casing It will fall, the spring 30 will cause the diaphragm 22, and hence the stud 24, to rise; the toggle action of the links 62 will draw the pivot I00 toward the left. will open the right hand valve, and will allow more gas to flow in from the supply cylinder, until the pressure within the casing is such to cause the valve to close once more.

It will. thus be seen that gas is drawn only from the cylinder connected to the right hand supply tube I2 of Figure 5. When that cylinder is exhausted, however, the handle 84 may be swung from the position shown in Figure 5, to a point 180 from that position. It will be apparmt from Figure 5 that when the handle is thus reversed the pull of the spring 94 on the post 72 will also be reversed. The post will also therefore be tipped in its flexible diaphragm mounting 08 to the position where its laterally extending arm I8 will engage the right hand valve lever 56, holding the latter in closed position. The pivot I00 will then for the time being be a fixed point, and the diaphragm and lever system will cause gas to be admitted from the left hand inlet, as viewed in Figure 5. As in. the case first described, a regulating or pressure reducing action occurs, the pressure in the casing I6 being determined by the adjustment of the member 32 in conjunction with the spring 30.

Pressure relief means may be provided to vent excess pressure from the casing IS in case one of the valve tips should fail to seat perfectly on the coacting seat 44, due to the presence of foreign matter, or for any other reason. The pressure relief device consists of a diaphragm I06 clamped in an opening I08 in one side of the casing I6 by a bonnet H0 containing a spring I I2 which bears against the diaphragm. Inside the casing I6, a tubular stem II4 extends to the center of the diaphragm I06, and its bore H6 ends at the center of the diaphragm I06 in the form of a valve seat H8. The outer end of the bore II6 leads to an orifice I20 in the outer wall of the casing .I 6.

Normally the diaphragm I 06 is held against the seat I I8 by the spring I I2. If excessive pressure should develop within the casing I 6 however, the pressure against the diaphragm I06 would cause it to move away from'the seat II8, thus allowing gas to flow to atmosphere through the bore H6, and preventing any damage to the diaphragm 22 or other parts from unduly high pressures.

It will be noted that in the entire system there is only one joint exposed to the high pressure of the supply cylinders. This is the threaded connection I22 between thetubing I2 and the supply cylinders I4, which cannot be avoided because the cylinders have a standard threaded connection. The pressure is reduced by the throttling action of the valve at the nozzle or seat 44, and consequently the interior of the casing I6, and hence all other joints in the apparatus, are subject only to the reduced pressure. The type of inlet connection represented by the member 36 permits the pigtail tubes I2 to be replaced if necessary, but requires much less metal, both in the fitting 36 itself, and in the coacting' portions of the housing I6, than is required for the standard type of high pressure threaded connection. Consequently, this factor in the cost of the assembly is reduced.

All the advantages of a change-over valve operating at low pressure are obtained, without the cost of two separatepressure reducing valves, which would otherwise be necessary.

I claim as my invention.

1. A change-over regulator comprising a housing having inlet passages therein for connection to each of two high pressure sources, valve levers each carrying a valve operable to close one of said passages, a diaphragm mounted in said housing and subject to atmospheric pressure on one side thereof and to the pressure within said housing on the other side thereof, a pair of toggle levers connecting said valve levers, a link connecting said diaphragm with the intermediate joint of said pair of toggle levers, means selectively operable upon either of the valve levers to bias it to closed position,'and a second diaphragm mounted in said housing and constitut ing a seal, said means passing through said sec- 0nd diaphragm for actuation from outside said housing.

2. In an automatic change-over pressure reducing device, a housing, external annular seat portions formed around each of apair of openings in said housing, tubes for connection to high pressure gas sources, a connecting member permanently attached as by welding or brazing to each of said tubes, a valve seat formed on said erable means engageable with either valve lever to bias it to closed position against the valve seat of its associated connecting member.

3. A change-over regulator comprising a housing having inlet passages therein for connection to each of two high pressure sources, valve levers each carrying a valve operable to close one of said passages, a diaphragm mounted in said housing and responsive to the pressure therein, a control lever selectively operable upon either of the valve levers to bias it to closed position, linkage means between said diaphragm and said valve levers operable to open'the valve not so biased when the pressure in said housing falls below a predetermined value, spring means external to said housing and operable to throw said control lever in either of two opposite directions, and a second diaphragm surrounding said control lever and constituting a flexible seal between said lever and said housing.

4. In a change-over pressure regulating de vice, a housing having external annular seats formed thereon around each of a pair of openings therein,,tubes for connection to high pressure gas ,sources, a connecting member permanently attached to each of said tubes, a valve seat formed on each said member, means retaining each said member in gas-tight position in one of said external annular seats, valve levers each carrying a valve engageable with the valve seat of one of said connecting members to control the flow of gas therethrough into said housing, means responsive to the pressure in said housing, a pair of toggle levers connecting said valve levers, said pressure responsive means being operatively connected with said tog-gle levers, means selectively operable upon either of the valve levers to bias it to closed position, and a diaphragm mounted in said housing and constituting a seal, said selectively operable means passing through said diaphragm f0r actuation from outside said housing.

KENNETH R. D. WOLFE. 

